Optimism and the socioeconomic status gradient in adolescent adiposity.

PURPOSE To assess whether dispositional optimism is associated with adiposity and to explore whether dispositional optimism mediates the relationship between parent education and adiposity (body mass index [BMI] z-score). METHODS Multivariate regression analyses of data were collected from 1,298 non-Hispanic black and white adolescents aged 12-19 years from a single Midwestern public school district. RESULTS Less optimistic adolescents had higher BMI z-scores (r = -.09, p < .001). Addition of dispositional optimism to the regression model caused an approximately 10% attenuation of the parent education and BMI z-score relationship. Sobel tests confirmed that this attenuation indicated partial mediation. CONCLUSION Lower dispositional optimism is associated with higher adiposity and this association accounts for some of the influence of parent education on adolescent adiposity.